


autumn leaves / when october goes

by emkat97



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018), Ocean's Eleven Trilogy (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Flashbacks, Light Angst, Morning Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 00:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16587647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emkat97/pseuds/emkat97
Summary: On a morning walk with Lou, Debbie thinks about her wife, her brother, and everything in between.Deb/Lou, lots of flashbacks.





	autumn leaves / when october goes

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone! so my thought process with this was 'hmmm let's write cute sleepy morning heist wives!' and then it turned into this 5K+ word thing that........I'm actually quite proud of.
> 
> First time writing Danny, so please go easy.
> 
> Please please please PLEASE leave a comment!! They make me smile and I'm always interested in improving. enjoy :D

Lou’s room was the only space in the loft that didn’t have curtains.

*

_“That’s counter-intuitive,” Debbie told her one evening over grilled chicken and baked mac and cheese at their tiny dinner table._

_“Not really. A bedroom is sacred. You don’t plan robberies in the same place you sleep. And masturbate.” She pointed her fork in Deb’s face. “You do the same thing. You’re always writing shit out out here. More freedom to think out loud.”_

_“Also counter-intuitive. How have you not gotten caught by now?”_

_“Big talk from you, jailbird. Besides, it’s beautiful in the mornings.”_

_“Please tell me you changed the sheets.”_

_Lou rolled her eyes. “Eat your dinner.”_

 

*

 

She was right.

 

It _was_ beautiful in the mornings.

 

Blinking the last bits of sleep away, Debbie squinted as the early morning sunlight streamed in, bathing the room in a soft golden glow almost as beautiful as the woman lying next to her.

 

Lou must have had an early night last night. If she ever came back from the club later than 2 AM, she’d sleep on the couch. Something about not wanting to risk waking Debbie up as she slept, because Debbie actually _sleeping_ was an unbelievably rare occurrence. Little did she know that the only times Debbie could get the kind of sleep she so desperately needed was when Lou was in bed with her, with an arm snaked around Debbie’s waist, face nuzzled into the crook of her neck.

 

That was the position Lou was in now, and judging by the pajamas she was wearing ( _real_ pajamas, none of that tank top and boxers crap she usually threw on and made appear flawless), she had gotten in far earlier than 2 AM.

 

Good. She deserved to sleep.

 

Debbie _loved_ watching her sleep. In her waking state, Lou was always thinking, always on the go. It’s why they fit together so well; if Deb was planning, Lou was executing. But that meant that they were always projecting and putting up walls, the two of them. It showed in different ways; Lou was all sharp edges, all the time, and she’d complain to Debbie that her crow’s feet were getting out of control. Debbie was tired because she couldn’t sleep; _Lou_ was tired because exhaustion had just seemed to take up permanent residence in her bones, years and years ago.

 

Being able to see Lou Miller at her most vulnerable was a goddamn privilege, and that wasn’t lost on Debbie. She memorized the way Lou looked as she slept, every little twitch of her lip, every single breath she took. Every line on her face that Lou hated and Debbie adored.

 

This woman was artwork.

 

It was the little things. Lou’s hand on her waist would always leave Debbie speechless, because she held her with a feather-light touch that no one else would expect. Lou was fiercely protective. So was Debbie, but Lou gave everyone the impression that she held on tight. That she was jealous or dependent or _something,_ even though the rest of the crew would never voice that collective opinion. And maybe she was. But above all else, Lou was gentle. And Lou was kind. And Debbie realized that Lou held her so loosely because she was giving Debbie permission to get out if she needed to. To walk, or run, or simply _go._ If she so chose to, Debbie could leave again.

 

She wouldn’t.

 

She couldn’t. That woman in bed next to her was too precious to hurt ever again. It was a miracle that Lou had forgiven her the first time.

 

And she had forgiven her a million times over.

 

*

 

_Lou had been the one to propose. Their wedding was simple and fuss-free, a quick “I do” and then back to the loft for champagne. Debbie had given Lou an engagement ring for her birthday the following year, solely because Lou deserved to have one of her own. Amita had done well, she’d give her that. The diamond was small but absolutely perfect, and the sapphires that surrounded it left Lou stunned._

_“This is too much, Deb.”_

_“No, it’s not.”_

_“Yes, it is.”_

_“It’s not like I paid for it. Wear the ring, baby. It’s yours.”_

_Lou would take it off every night, carefully placing it on her dresser, but keep her wedding ring on. When Debbie asked her why, Lou simply shrugged. “Gotta keep you close somehow.”_

 

*

 

Lou was like a heating pad. Debbie spent long hours trying to determine just where all that warmth came from, but it ultimately didn’t matter, because when you threw a blanket on top of Lou, she was almost hot to the touch. It didn’t bother Lou, but some nights Debbie would have to come up for air.

 

Debbie could feel the warmth radiating off of Lou’s stomach and onto Debbie’s waist, the heat from her thighs filling Debbie’s head with thoughts she definitely shouldn’t be having at five in the morning while her wife was sleeping peacefully.

 

Any other morning, she would have palmed her breast and let her lips travel along Lou’s collarbone once she knew she was awake, see if she wanted to get something going. Sometimes it worked; usually it didn’t. Debbie didn’t mind that it didn’t.

 

*

 

_“I’m doing you a favor, you know,” Lou told her as she slid a plate of waffles in Debbie’s direction. “Morning breath is a turn-off.”_

_“I’ve managed this long, haven’t I?”_

_“Oh, I didn’t mean me,” Lou smirked. “You.”_

_“You’re awful. And incorrect.”_

_“If you can manage to keep your mouth shut, perhaps we can come to an understanding. But in case you haven’t noticed, Deborah,” Lou lowered her voice, “I’m pretty fucking good at making you moan.”_

 

*

 

Lou’s bangs fell in her face when she slept. Not like Debbie could do anything about that; Lou’s bangs fell in her face when she so much as _moved_ the wrong way. But even though her eyes were hidden, Debbie could still see the gentle flicker of her eyelids, the way her cheeks flushed a dewy pink, jawline sharp, lips barely parted in a tiny, delicate smile.

 

Debbie _loved her._

She loved her this way. She loved her _any_ way. Debbie never considered herself to be lucky. _Danny_ was lucky, until he wasn’t. _Debbie_ was smart.

 

Debbie was smart, but somehow, she’d had just enough luck to find Lou. And Lou _loved her back._

What a world.

 

Debbie tilted her head towards Lou to give her cheek a kiss, resulting in a jolt from Lou’s right shoulder and a yawn as Lou’s eyes fluttered open. Even as she squinted at Debbie, she wore a shit-eating grin.

 

“Were you watching me sleep again?”

 

“No.”

 

“Liar.”

 

“You can’t prove anything. You were asleep.”

 

Lou lifted her head so she was on the same plane as her wife. She was beaming. “Hi.”

 

“Hi, baby. Get up.”

 

Lou glanced at the alarm clock behind Debbie’s head. “It’s 5:15.”

 

“Yeah. You’re still walking with me?”

 

“It’s early, Deb.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You alright?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

*

 

_“I saw a cardinal on my way back. Gorgeous. Landed on a branch right next to me.” Lou set the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter._

_“That’s nice.”_

_“You know what that means?”_

_“Can’t say I do.”_

_“A cardinal is a messenger. You see a cardinal, you’re being visited by the spirit of someone who’s passed on.”_

_“You believe that crap?”_

_“It’s comforting to believe in something.”_

_“It’s not real, Lou.”_

_“Yeah. Okay.” Lou ran a hand through her hair. “By the way, there’s a message for you on the answering machine.”_

_“From...?”_

_“Tess. She says hi.”_

*

 

It was early enough to be the kind of quiet they both desperately craved, the kind of quiet that allowed them to slow down and breathe and just _be._ Lou moaned, rubbing her shoulder and rolling her wrists in circles as she watched Debbie lean against their chest of drawers, quietly contemplating what to wear. Debbie turned.

 

“You hurting, baby?”

 

“No, just stiff.” Lou hoisted herself up and headed towards their bathroom. “Please don’t forget to brush your teeth.”

 

“I’m not a heathen, Lou.”

 

“Beg to differ.” Lou disappeared as she shut the door.

 

Debbie rolled her eyes.

 

*

 

_“Can I touch you?”_

_Lou blinked. “Of course you can. We’re married.”_

_“Yeah, I know, I was there. Just figured I should ask.”_

*

 

“You’re looking incredibly cozy.” Debbie nodded at Lou’s sweater and jeans as she bent down and tied the laces on her hiking boots. “That’s mine, right?”

 

Lou blew a strand of hair away from her face. “S’cold,” she mumbled.

 

Debbie grinned. “Looks good on you.”

 

“Thanks.” Lou lifted her head. “You look...different.”

 

“ _Hey_.”

 

“Not _bad_ , just not you. Are those shoes even yours? Or was Daphne in our room again?” Lou had a point. Debbie had slid into an old sweatshirt of Danny’s, a pair of gray yoga pants, and slouchy black Ugg boots.

 

Perched on the edge of the unmade bed, Debbie couldn’t even pretend to be irritated as she watched Lou pull her blonde hair up into a loose ponytail and slide her glasses onto the bridge of her nose.

 

*

 

_“You should wear those more often.”_

_“Sorry?”_

_“The glasses. I like them.”_

_“I love that my not being able to see turns you on.”_

_“Everything about you turns me on.”_

_“Calm down, Deborah. I’ll get new contacts soon, I just need to renew my prescription.”_

_“You were wearing those glasses the day we met.”_

_Lou smiled. “Really?”_

_“Mhmm. Saw you from across the room and thought, wow, I have got to get me some of that blonde nerd.”_

_“Well, aren’t you charming.”_

_“Looked like a sexy, sexy librarian.”_

_“Do shut up.”_

_“Make me.”_

_“For God’s sake, Deb, we’re on a stakeout!”_

_“I love you.”_

*

 

“You want something to eat?”

 

Debbie shook her head. “Just some coffee, if you don’t mind.”

 

“Of course. Wait, _coffee_? What happened to tea?”

 

“Sometimes I want coffee.”

 

Lou looked amused. “Okay. Still take it black, two sugars?”

 

“Aww, baby, you _remembered._ ”

 

Lou kissed her cheek before stalking towards the kitchen. “Like I’d ever forget.”

 

*

 

_Debbie’s arms were draped loosely around Lou’s waist as she asked, “Kristen Stewart or Anna Paquin?”_

_“Ugh, neither.” Lou carded her fingers through Debbie’s hair._

_“You wouldn’t fuck Kristen Stewart?” Debbie watched her for just a second before Lou was pushing her back down into the mattress._

_“There’s only one person I’d prefer to be fucking at the moment, Deborah.”_

*

 

The crisp orange leaves crunched under Lou’s boots as she locked the door, Debbie holding onto their thermoses in gloved hands. Turning left once they reached the stoplight at the end of the street, they made their way down the block in comfortable silence.

 

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?”

 

Lou shivered a little as she readjusted her scarf. “Depends.”

 

“On?”

 

“You.”

 

Debbie bit back her grin and slid her arm into Lou’s, gently holding on to the fabric of her parka.

 

“You really do look gorgeous right now.”

 

“Oh, stop.”

 

“I mean it. You are _beautiful_ , baby. I have a _stunning_ wife.”

 

Lou, who _refused_ to let Deborah Ocean and her sweet talk melt her into a puddle while they were in public, stopped in front of the store immediately to their right. “Did you want flowers today?”

 

Debbie swallowed. “No. Brought some last week.”

 

*

 

_“What was Danny’s favorite color?”_

_Debbie kept her eyes glued to the crossword puzzle in front of her. “Red. Why?”_

_“It’s chrysanthemum season. Figured I’d pick some up.”_

_“You don’t have to do that, Lou.”_

_“I know. I want to.”_

_“Don’t.”_

_Lou looked up. Debbie was staring at her._

_“Please just don’t.”_

*

 

Debbie’s phone vibrated against her hip, and she pulled it out to see who the hell was texting her so early in the morning.

 

Amita.

 

Oh.

 

Debbie could tolerate Amita. Next to Tammy, she was probably the closest thing to a real friend Debbie had.

 

Amita was a morning person, which irritated Debbie to no end, but on this particular day, Debbie happened to be a morning person as well.

 

“ _where are you guys? I’ve been knocking for twenty minutes. I think I left my wallet in one of my boxes upstairs and I can’t find my key anywhere.”_

“Lou.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

As Lou turned to her, there was a sharp tug on her shoulder as Debbie threw one arm around her and thrust the phone into her face.

 

“What the _fuck_ – ”

 

“Selfie for Amita.”

 

“Since when did you become someone who takes _selfies_?”

 

“Since Constance showed me how to do the thing where the hearts show up around your head.”

 

“What?”

 

“That one app. Chat and snap, or something?”

 

Lou nodded. “Something like that.” As Debbie pressed further and further into her side, Lou squirmed away. “Okay, stop.” She grabbed the phone. “I’m the tall one. Better angles.”

 

“You’re two inches taller than me.”

 

“Makes a world of difference.” Lou took a picture, sent it off, and handed Debbie’s phone back to her. “There. You look lovely.”

 

“Only because I’m standing next to you.”

 

“You really need to cool it with this sentimental bullshit, Deb.”

 

“Or what?”

 

“Or I’m never waking up before seven-thirty for you ever again.”

 

Debbie was distracted by Amita’s quick, enthusiastic response.

 

“ _omg!! too cute. i’ll come back later. enjoy your wife :D”_

 

Ten seconds later: “ _WAIT NO I didn’t mean it like that, pls don’t be gross”_

“She thinks we’re cute.”

 

“Mm. Tell her to ask Constance about her wallet. Namely, tell her to ask for her wallet back.”

 

“Make sure she gets a new key.”

 

“Yup.”

 

*

 

_“So we have something to tell you guys.” Lou stood at the edge of the living room, pouring shots._

_“Divorce?”_

_“Kids?”_

_“A puppy!”_

_Lou shook her head in bewilderment. “No...why the hell would you...never mind.”_

_Debbie cleared her throat. “We’re getting a smaller apartment outside the city. We’re not selling this place or anything, but we’re going to be moving some things out in the next couple of weeks.”_

_“Excuse me, what?” Daphne’s eyebrows hit the ceiling. “We like, JUST became friends and now you’re leaving?”_

_“Who’s gonna buy all my fruit snacks?” Constance whined._

_“Relax. We’re not ‘leaving’ leaving. Just...need something quieter.”_

_“A giant loft with virtually zero other people in it isn’t quiet enough?”_

_“What do you MEAN, zero other people? None of you ever leave!”_

_“You know what? I get it.” Tammy nodded. “Normalcy is nice.”_

_“We’re not joining you in suburban bliss, Tim-Tam, if that’s what you’re implying.”_

_Tammy smirked. “Whatever you say, Deb.”_

 

*

 

It made sense that the gates to the cemetery were locked, considering that it was barely six in the morning, and as the pair walked up to the entrance, Lou frowned and glanced at Debbie sideways.

 

“I’m all for breaking in, but this feels a little disrespectful.”

 

“We’re not going to break in.”

 

“Do you want breakfast, maybe? I’m sure by the time we come back – ”

 

Lou was cut off by a squeeze to her bicep as Debbie nodded at the man in the blue button-down coming towards them on the other side of the gate. He had beautiful green-gray eyes, and his salt-and-pepper beard made him appear younger than he probably was.

 

“Morning, Mrs. Miller!”

 

“Morning, Dennis.” Debbie smiled that radiant smile that got men and women everywhere to do her bidding. “How’s your car?”

 

“Eh, she’s seen better days. Fluid keeps leaking. Gives it that smoky smell that Shirley hates.”

 

“Is it a manual? Could be the clutch if it’s overly worn.” Lou sipped her coffee. “I can take a look at it, if you want. For a price.”

 

Dennis’ eyes widened. “Is this your wife?”

 

“Dennis, Lou. Lou, Dennis.”

 

“It is so nice to finally meet you! I’ve certainly heard a lot about you.”

 

Lou raised an eyebrow, and Debbie kissed her temple. “I like to sing your praises, baby.”

 

“That she does. Well, I’ll leave you two alone.” The iron padlock snapped open as Dennis pushed the gate aside. “Be out by seven, if you can. Shirley finds out I’m lettin’ folks in early, she’ll watch all the _NCIS_ episodes without me.”

 

“Well, we definitely wouldn’t want that,” Debbie winked at him as Dennis gave her a wave and headed back into his office.

 

As Debbie and Lou began their walk down the asphalt towards the mausoleum, Lou nudged Debbie with her hip. “Mrs. Miller, huh?”

 

“It sounds good.”

 

“Uh huh. He a friend of yours?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then why did – ”

 

“I’m here a lot.”

 

*

 

_“Do you wanna talk about it?”_

_“No.”_

_“Debbie.”_

_“Can’t you just hold me? Do I always have to talk about it?”_

_Lou sighed. “No. You don’t. I’m sorry.”_

_“...it’s okay.”_

_“Come on. Back to bed.”_

_Snuggling under the covers, Lou found herself running her fingertips along Debbie’s neck the way she always did when Debbie woke up from a nightmare, but this time, she couldn’t keep the words from tumbling out of her mouth._

_“You know I’m here, right? Whatever you need?”_

_“Lou, just stop.”_

_“I loved him too. You’re not the only one who lost him.”_

_Debbie didn’t say anything, so Lou continued. “That’s what it is, right? It’s Danny?”_

_“...it’s always Danny.”_

_“I’m sorry, honey. I wish I could make it easier for you. You know, when my mom died, I saw her in my dreams, too. For a while. Not to the extent of yours, I’m sure, but she was there. It gets easier.”_

_Debbie looked a little stunned. “When did your mom die?”_

_“Oh. Um, few years back. She got sick. Very sudden. I think you’d been gone two years maybe?”_

_“I didn’t know.”_

_“Well...”_

_“You never told me.”_

_“It never came up.”_

_Silence._

_“I’m so sorry you had to deal with that on your own.”_

_“It’s fine.”_

_“No, it’s not.”_

_“Really, Deb, it’s okay. I’m used to it by now.”_

_“Her being gone?”_

_“Doing things alone.”_

*

 

“You picked a good morning for this.” Lou tilted her head towards the clouds and took a deep breath in. “It’s gorgeous.”

 

Debbie just nodded.

 

She watched the way Lou’s shoulders hunched as Lou picked up her pace a little. She walked in front of her, just a few steps away, always the protector, always willing to take the fall should something go wrong. If Debbie wanted to, she could reach out, touch her shoulder, slow her down.

 

But she didn’t.

 

Lou stopped briefly when the path split in two directions, then turned left. Debbie smiled. Of course she knew the way.

 

It was kind of funny, watching her this way. The lack of makeup, the absence of leather, the silence. She looked smaller this way. Happier, too. Debbie was sure Lou would say the same thing about her.

 

They almost looked normal.

 

Just two wives, on a walk, in a cemetery, on a Wednesday morning.

 

Lost in thought, Debbie almost tripped over Lou, who had crouched down and pressed her palm to a name on one of the countless tombstones.

 

*

 

_Lou knew a guy._

_Of course she did. Lou always did._

_What no one on the crew expected, however, was for him to stay in California and not come to them. That was new._

_“I don’t like working with people I don’t know.”_

_“He’s good, Deb. He’s what we need.”_

_So Debbie agreed. Lou would go back to California, get this guy on board and make him do what they needed him to do to get this new job to work out._

_Lou didn’t know about the mob connections, the trail of bodies this man left behind. She was staying far away from all that, but it still scared her._

_When one month turned to two, and two turned to four, four to almost seven, everyone was getting restless. And when Debbie got the phone call at three in the morning, she wasn’t sure what to expect._

_“What’s up?” Debbie figured she was barely audible. It was the first night in a long time that she’d been able to sleep for more than two hours, and this was not her ideal wakeup call._

_“Can we give him his cut yet?”_

_“Lou?”_

_“Can we? I called Tammy the other day, she’s almost done fencing the property.”_

_“Lou, are you crying?”_

_“I knew this was a bad idea.”_

_That made Debbie sit up. “Lou, you’re scaring the hell out of me. He didn’t hurt you, did he? Are you safe?”_

_“I’m fine, honey. I’m fine. I’m okay. I just...” Lou’s voice, already thick with tears, finally gave way to sobs. “It was never meant to take this long, you know? And I just miss you and want you and need you and it hurts so bad, Deb. We weren’t supposed to be apart like this again. I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”_

_“Then come home.” Debbie hadn’t noticed she was pacing the bedroom floor._

_“I...what?”_

_“Come home, Lou. It’s not worth it.”_

_“Deb, we’re so close.”_

_“I don’t care. You being here with me and being happy and safe is so much more important than any job.” It dawned on Debbie that she had never actually said that out loud before. “And I miss you too. We all do. So, please. Come home, baby.”_

_When Lou walked into the loft three days later, Debbie practically launched herself into her arms._

_Lou just kept crying._

*

 

“Someone you know?”

 

“No. Just...look at this.”

 

Debbie knelt beside her. It was an incredibly small stone, lodged in between maybe five others. Judging by the grouping, it appeared to be a family, or at least relatives of some kind.

 

“So she died in 1924, right? And it looks like she was the youngest of the family. The last surviving member.”

 

Debbie squinted. “How can you even see the name on that?”

 

“That’s exactly my point. The upkeep is terrible.”

 

Debbie nodded. All of the stones had sunk into the ground. Most were cracked or had weeds poking up from the sides. “Don’t tell me you’re going to make cemetery renovation your new project.”

 

“We’ve both got enough money for it.”

 

“Lou.” Debbie brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “Are you okay? You didn’t have to come with me if you didn’t want to.”

 

“Do you ever think about this?”

 

“About what?”

 

“What happens when there’s no one left to remember you.”

 

Debbie stood up and held out her hand towards Lou. “Come on, baby. We’re almost there.”

 

*

 

_“So sorry to have kept you here for so long. Spent more time with the patient before you than I had expected to, thanks for waiting it out.”_

_Lou nodded as the woman in front of her pushed her glasses up and began flipping through a few papers attached to her clipboard. Debbie held Lou’s hand tight in her own._

_“So the good news is that the tests came back negative.”_

_Out of the corner of her eye, Debbie saw Lou’s eyes flutter shut as she exhaled. Debbie hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath._

_“But I do want to make sure you understand the gravity of this situation. I don’t send patients for biopsies and expect the results to come back negative. I’m going to check with my pathologist again, make sure that what’s on the slide corresponds to what’s on the X-ray.” The doctor stood, moving her chair out from behind her desk to sit in front of Debbie and Lou. “It was smart of you to come in when you did. I want you to start going out for mammograms every three months instead of six. You’re okay now, but given your family history, there’s always a chance that you won’t be the next time I see you.”_

_Debbie kept her eyes glued to her wife._

_“Your mother was so young. And like mother, like daughter isn’t exactly something we enjoy seeing in situations such as this.”_

_Lou brushed her bangs to the side and nodded again._

_“My office will call to follow up in a few days. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”_

_Minutes passed before Debbie spoke. “You okay, baby?”_

_“Take me home, Deb.”_

*

 

Standing in front of the heavy wooden doors, Debbie took a deep breath as Lou grazed her hip with the tips of her fingers.

 

“Ready?”

 

Debbie pushed the doors open. The mausoleum was a lot bigger than she remembered, even though she’d been visiting every week and a half for the past three years.

 

Lou stood next to her, hands on her hips. “Who _are_ all these people? I know they’re not all family. You quizzed me on family.”

 

“Honestly? I don’t know half of them.”

 

*

 

_The mud practically swallowed up her tiny penny loafers as she stormed towards the swing set._

_“Danny. Danny!!!”_

_He looked up and stared straight into the belly of the beast, if the belly of the beast were an annoying eight-year-old little sister tapping her foot._

_“What.”_

_“What is daddy talking about with his friends?”_

_“I don’t know, Deb.”_

_“Yes you do. Why aren’t you telling me?”_

_“Shut up.”_

_“That’s not nice!”_

_“Neither is dad. What did he say?”_

_Debbie sighed. “He kicked me out. So now you gotta play Barbie with me!!”_

_“We can play Barbie. We just have to do it out here.”_

_“But I wanna go to my room!” Debbie plopped onto the swing next to her brother._

_“Well, we can’t. Go get your dolls and a blanket from the living room. We can play out here.”_

_“...’kay.” Debbie was about to hop off the swing until she looked at Danny and the way his hair was falling in his face._

_“Danny.”_

_“Huh?”_

_“What’s daddy talking about?”_

_Danny sighed. “You don’t wanna know, Deb. Trust me.”_

*

 

“I’ll give you two a minute.” Lou kissed the top of Debbie’s head and walked back outside.

 

Sitting down on the bench, Debbie felt quite out of place without her cocktail shaker. So she held her thermos up instead.

 

“Cheers.”

 

*

 

_“What did Rusty want?”_

_“Nothing out of the ordinary. Just said he was checking in. We had a couple beers, it was nice.”_

_“I’ll bet. He still hit on you?”_

_Lou rolled her eyes. “Of course. What else is new?”_

_“So unfortunate that you’re already taken by someone.”_

_“I know, right? Otherwise, I could be Louann Ryan. Sounds like a housewife from the 1950’s.”_

_“Your biggest dream in life.”_

_“Mm.” Lou dropped down onto the couch and began rubbing Debbie’s shoulders. “He asked about you.”_

_“I’ll bet.”_

_“We missed you. First Wives Club isn’t the same without you.”_

_“More like Alvin and the Chipmunks.”_

_“Rusty is Theodore.”_

_“Definitely.”_

_“He wants to do it again. Go with me next time?”_

_“We’ll see.”_

_“Deb, you can’t just hide from him forever. He’s Danny’s best friend.”_

_“Exactly.”_

*

 

“So it seems like we’ve come to a bit of a standstill, huh, Danny? Because I’m sitting here drinking coffee out of thermos you lifted from Wal-Mart twenty years ago, and you’re still dead. Isn’t that funny?”

 

Debbie usually didn’t talk to him that much. Today was different.

 

*

 

_“Dad’s gonna kill you.”_

_Debbie laughed, a loud, tinny, broken thing. “I don’t fucking care.”_

_“Seriously, Deb. I can cover for you, but I can’t guarantee he’ll believe me.”_

_“Course he’ll believe you. The prodigal son. What would he do without his darling precious Daniel Ocean?”_

_“Debbie, you are sixteen years old, drunk off your ass, and you just crashed our father’s car.”_

_“Yup.”_

_“This isn’t you.”_

_“Oh, fuck you.”_

_“You know, I could get behind you fucking with kids at school. Picking locks and planting weed in that cheerleader’s locker? That was good shit. But you don’t seem to understand that you’re playing with fire.”_

_“Maybe that’s why I’m doing it. You ever consider that?”_

_“Whatever. You wanna fuck your life up, be my guest.”_

_“You’re really one to talk.”_

_“You don’t know what you’re doing, Deb.”_

_“And you do?”_

_“I never said that.”_

*

 

“I just wanted to let you know that I’m doing okay now. A little better. Lou helps with that. Lou helps with a lot of things.”

 

Sip.

 

“But you knew that already.”

 

Sip.

 

“I think I’m gonna start visiting less. You’re probably sick of hearing my voice.”

 

“You okay, love?”

 

Debbie hadn’t heard Lou open the door and shuffle back inside, not until she was right behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

 

She wondered how much she had heard.

 

She didn’t care.

 

*

 

_“What?” A tiny grin played over Debbie’s lips as she pulled the sheets a little tighter around her chest._

_“What? Nothing.”_

_“You look like you have something to say.”_

_“Oh. No. I...” Lou slid her hands under her pillow. “I love you.”_

_“I love you too.”_

_“No. I really, really love you. I – I don’t think I ever actually loved someone before I met you. And I don’t want to love anyone else either, ever. So.”_

_“Lou...”_

_“Sweet dreams, honey.”_

*

 

“Do you want to head out soon?”  


“Yeah. Sit a second?”

 

Lou obliged.

 

“I love you. Thanks for coming today.”

 

“Wouldn’t have let you go alone.” Lou stared at the tombstone in front of her. “I’ll bet he’s proud of you.”

 

“Yeah. I hope he is.”

 

Debbie cleared her throat upon feeling her eyes begin to brim with tears. “Okay. Time to go.”

 

Lou moved back towards the entrance to the mausoleum to hold the door open, while Debbie took one last look at Danny’s tombstone.

 

“Happy birthday, idiot.”

 

*

 

_“Stay as long as you need.”_

_“Yeah. Thanks.” Debbie curled onto the couch, sputtering a little when the blanket Danny threw at her landed directly on top of her._

_By the time she got the blanket off her head and around her shoulders, Danny was sitting in the chair across from her, staring, the ice in his glass clinking as he swirled his drink around._

_“So what was it this time, huh? Job or boyfriend?”_

_“You have so little faith in me.”_

_“Can’t help it, I’m your brother.”_

_“For your information, I’m between places right now.”_

_“So you’re homeless. Nice.”_

_“NO. I’m between places. Literally. There’s water damage in the new apartment and I can’t get into the old place after 10 PM.”_

_“Sounds like you really have your life together.”_

_“I do.”_

_“That was sarcasm.”_

_“I know.”_

_“You do look happier.”_

_“Really?”_

_“Mhmm. What’s his name?”_

_“Who said it was a man?”_

_Danny raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. Why aren’t you staying with her then?”_

_“Because it’s very new and she’s very good and I don’t want to scare her away.”_

_“You do have that tendency.”_

_“I learned from the best.”_

_“Amen.”_

_“You heard from Tess at all?”_

_Danny shook his head._

_“I’m sorry, Danny. Really.”_

_“Yeah. Me too. But hey,” he shrugged, “Maybe there’s only so much happiness in our family to go around. It’s good that you’ve got it now.”_

_Debbie smiled. “Yeah.”_

_“Wow. Someone’s smitten. Tell me more about her.”_

_“She’s tall and witty and gorgeous and smart and everything I’ve ever wanted, if we’re being completely honest.”_

_“What did I tell you about being completely honest?”_

_“Shut up.”_

_“Do I get to meet this mystery woman?”_

_“Hopefully. Someday.” Debbie settled her head onto the pillow behind her. “Her name is Lou, by the way.”_

*

 

Stepping out of the cemetery and back onto the street, Debbie slipped her hand into Lou’s and they started the walk back home.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading, hope you liked it.
> 
> I'm also on tumblr at smashingmagicklovely, if you want to talk Ocean's to me or send me a prompt.
> 
> again, pleASE leave a comment??? they make me smile so big, and if you leave a comment, i'll send you a giant giant GIANT HUG.
> 
> thanks :)


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